butler



April 16, 1940.

J. K. BUTLER ELECTRIC REFRIGERATOR Original Filed Oct. 17, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Reissued 1940 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICREFRIGERATOR Original No. 1,835,844, dated December a,

Serial No. 489,283, October 17, 1930. Application for reissue May 6,1938, Serial No. 206,384

5 Claims.

The principal object of thisinvention is to provide an electricrefrigerator, which, upon insertion of a coin, will operate, eithercontinuously or at intervals, over a certain period of time.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electric refrigeratorhaving coin controlled means controlling the operating time period forthe refrigerator irrespective of the amount of current consumed by therefrigerating unit during the operating period, 1

Other more specific objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent upon a full understanding of the nature, relationship andpurpose of the several novelly cooperating parts of the apparatus.

One form of the invention is presented herein by way of exempliflcation,but it will of course be appreciated that the invention is susceptibleof embodiment in other modified forms coming equally within the scope ofthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front, partially broken away view of an ordinary electricrefrigerator equipped with the apparatus of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of an encased unit which contains some of theparts of the apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of the apparatus, showing theelectrical connections between the several parts thereof.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the timing mechanism of Fig. 2 with thecasing shown in horizontal section.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section through certain parts of themechanism, taken on the line 5-4 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the mechanismcorresponding to the central portion of Fig. 2, showing the main switchin open position.

The apparatus of the invention is adapted to be used with an ordinaryelectric refrigerator III of the single unit type having a compressor,condenser and expansion coil.

The apparatus includes the compressor motor ll of the refrigerator; theusual thermostatic and de-irosting switches l2 and ii; a timing motorll; a solenoid IS; a main switch ii for both motors which is closed bythe action of the solenoid and is opened by the action of the timingmotor; and a normally open switch H for the solenoid which is closedmomentarily whenever a coin is inserted in a slot provided for thatpurpose.

The above named parts ll, II, It and I1 together constitute acoin-controlled timing mechanism it which forms the subject matter of aseparate application for patent filed by James M. Curless on even dateherewith Serial No. 489,287, which has matured into PatentN0.2,054,615,issued September 15, 1936. The parts are embodied in 5cooperative relation with the refrigerating units in the supply circuitof the refrigerator in the manner disclosed in the schematicillustration of Fig. 3. As illustrated in Fig. 2, a constant speed motorI4 is arranged to drive a reducing gear train 10 having cooperativelyassociated therewith a planet gear 20 on a pivotally mounted bell-cranklever 2| connected with the tilting main switch I6. An escapement wheel22 is associated with one of the driven gears of the gear train, and thesole- 15 noid l5 energized by the coin control switch I'l when a coin isinserted, is operatively connected with the escapement wheel to set thetiming mechanism for time operating periods in accordance with thenumber of coins successively inserted in 20 the device.

For operation of the particular timing structure selected for purposesof illustration, reference is had to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.The motor I is attached to a vertical partition 14 with the armatureshaft connected by reduction gearing with a slow speed shaft projectingforwardly through an aperture I6 in the partition where it is providedwith a small pinion ll which meshes on a larger pinion 18. The pinion I8is journaled on a stub shaft 19 and is provided at its rear face with asmall pinion 80 which meshes with a relatively large gear 8|.

The gear II is journaled on another stub shaft 23 and is provided at itsfront face with a small a pinion 24. The pinion 24 meshes laterally withan arcuately movable planet pinion 20 which is journaled on the outerend of one arm of bellcrank lever 2|. The lever 2 i is pivotally mountedon the front end of the shaft 23. The planet pinion '20 also meshes'laterally with a relatively large gear 28 which is journaled on a rod 29which projects forwardly from the partition.

The free end of the arm of the bell-crank lever is yieldingly maintainedin a downwardly inclined position during the rotation of the motor I! bya tensioned coil spring 30 which extends from a stationary hook 3| tothe free end of the other arm 21 of the bell crank lever. When the motorit rotates, the gear 8i rotates very slowly in a clockwise direction,and the gear 28 rotates even more slowly in a clockwise direction, therotation of the gear 28 being due to the anchorage provided for theplanet pinion 20 by the resistance of the spring 30.

The gear 2| is provided with a forwardly projecting sleeve II on whichan escapement wheel 34 is journaled. The wheel 34 is torsionallyconnected to the gear 28 by a light coil spring 3| which encompasses thesleeve and is attached at one end to the wheel and at theother end tothe sleeve. The wheel 3| is provided on its rear face with a rearwardlyprojecting stud II which is disposed in the path of revolution of asimilar stud II on the front face oi the gear 28. The spring ll is soarranged as to tend to rotate the wheel in a clockwise direction afterthe gear 28 has been rotated in a clockwise direction with the wheelheld against such movement.

The escapement wheel N is normally held against clockwise rotation by anescapement pawl 38 which is pivotally attached to a pin It. The pawl 88has a nose I which is normally held by a tensioned coil spring II in aposition behind one of several teeth 42 on the periphery of the wheel.when the pawl 38 is oscillated in a clockwise direction, the nose 4. onthe pawl will release from the tooth 42 which it previously engaged. andanother nose 4! on the pawl will move into the path of another tooth,whereby to permit the wheel 34 to rotate in a clockwise direction underthe action of the spring I! through a short are corresponding to thedistance between adjoining teeth.

The escapement pawl 38 is oscillated in a clockwise direction by thesolenoid II connected to the pawl by a link 40. The solenoid isenergized to pull on the link It whenever a coin, such as a twenty-livecent piece. 'is caused to close the switch ll. successively. energizingthe solenoid by insertion of several coins will variably increase theoperating period 01. the timing mechanism as energization of thesolenoid causes the pawl a to permit the wheel 34 to turn in a clockwisedirection under the action of the wound spring I.

If desired, several coins may be inserted at the same time one alter theother, the wheel 14 turning angularly for each coin inserted.

Before the insertion of the first coin, the stud Ilonthegearflwillbeinaposition in abutment with the stud 36 on the wheel 34. Afterthe first coin has been inserted, however. the stud It will have beenmoved by the wheel into a position wherein the gear 2. will have torotate through one-ninth of a revolution before the stud 81 will abutagain with the stud It. If several coins, for instance four, have beeninserted at the same time, the stud 38 'will have assumed a positionwherein the gear It will have to rotate through four-ninths of arevolution before the stud 31 will abut with the stud 30.

As previously stated, the gear rotates very slowly in a clockwisedirection when the motor I! is operating. When the stud TI on the gear28 finally comes into engagement with the stud 3 on the wheel 34, thegear 28 will be prevented from rotating any farther, and the planetpinion 25, which is in mesh with the gear II, willthereuponcommencetotravelupwardlyinanarc. The upward movement of thepinion 2. will of course impart a corresponding oscillation to thebell-crank lever 2i, thelatter moving from the position shown in Fig. 6.

Thebell-cranklever 2| isconnected byalink II to a throw-over lever"which is pivoted at ll toastationarybrachet OI. Anarm Clispivotedattltotlielowerportionoi'theleveril and is provided at one endwith a roller II adapted to enact with a cam track on the structure toobtains snap action of the tiltable mercury switch It in a conventionalmanner. The switch it includes a glass capsule partly iilled withmercury and is supported by spring clips 89.

When the bell-crank lever 2| moves into the position shown in Fig. 6, itwill oscillate the throwover lever 5. in a clockwise direction, causingthe roller 63 to ride on the cam surface, thereby tilting the switch Itinto its open position. The switch It is in the circuit of the motor M.

The switch It will remain in its open position until another coin isinserted. Upon insertion of another coin, the stud 38 on the wheel Mwill move ahead of the stud 31 out of the way of the latter. Thetendency oirthe thus released gear 20 to rotate under the stored upenergy of the spring 35 will move the planet gear 2| downwardly, therebyoscillating the bell-crank lever 2| in a counterclockwise direction, andsuch movement of the bell-crank lever will cause the throw-over lever 5.to oscillate in a counterclockwise direction, riding the roller 83 onits cam track, resulting in the switch it being tflted into its closedposition.

It will, of course, be appreciated that the present invention is in noway limited to the above described timing mechanism details, and thatsuch details are included march for the P pose of exempliflcation. Theparticular timing mechanism shown is a separate invention and forms thesubject matter of the previously mentioned Curless application.

as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3, the compressor motor II and timingmotor I are connected in parallel in an electrical circuit l9, and thethermostatic switch I! and defrosting switch I! are arranged in thecircuit in series with the compressor motor and with each other. Themain switch It is placed in the circuit in series with the motors, andthe solenoid I 5 and coinoperated switch ll are connected in series andarranged in parallel with the mainswitch and timing motor.

In the inactive condition of the apparatus, wherein neither the motor llnor the motor I4 is operating, the switches l2 and II are closed and theswitches l8 and [1 are open. When a coin. jor instance a twenty-fivecent piece, is inserted in the switch ll, it will momentarily close thelatter, thereby causing the solenoid I! to be energized. The solenoidII, which is mechanically connected with the switch It, will thereuponclose the latter, thus completing the circuit is through the motors i Iand I4 and starting both of the same. The timing motor ll, like thesolenoid It, is mechanically connected with the switch It, and, aftersuch motor has been running for a predetermined length oi time, it willautomatically open the switch, thereby shutting oil. the current throughboth motors and returning the apparatus to its inactive condition.During the operation of the timing motor I, the compressor motor ll maybe independently shut off, either by the automatic operation of theswitch I! or manual operation of the switch It.

I claim:

1. In electrical refrigeration apparatus, the combination with acompressor motor, of a timing motor, coin controlled means automaticallyactuated .by insertion of a coin for conditioning the circuitfor-starting both motors at the same time while permitting insertion ofa coin without shutting oi! said compressor motor, means for shuttingof! both motors at the same time after a predetermined period of timehas elapsed, and means for shutting on the compressor motor before theend of such period without shutting off the timing motor.

2. In electrical refrigeration apparatus, an electric circuit, acompressor motor in the circuit, a

timing motor in the circuit in parallel with the compressor motor, amain switch in the circuit in series with both motors, a solenoid in thecir-'- cuit in parallel with the main switch, coin controlled means forcausing the timing motor to open the main switch after a predeterminedperiod of time has elapsed, said means comprising timing means andconstant driving connections between said timing means and said timingmotor efiective for continuously driving said timing means withoutinterruption during insertion of a coin when said main switch is closed,means for causing the solenoid to close the main switch when energized,and a coin controlled switch in the circuit in series with the solenoidfor energizing the latter to close the main switch and place theapparatus in operation.

3. In electrical refrigeration apparatus, an electrical energy supplycircuit, a compressor motor energized from the supply circuit, timingmeans including a constant speed electric timing motor for controllingthe time period of operation of the apparatus, coin actuated meansvariably controlling the operating period of the timing means inaccordance with the number of coins successively employed, and a mainswitch operatively connected with the timing means for simultaneouslycontrolling operation of. the compressor and timing motors, said timingmeans being continuously driven by said timing motor withoutinterruption during insertion of coins when said main switch is closed.

4. In electrical refrigeration apparatus, an electrical energy supplycircuit, a compressor motor energized from the supply circuit, timingmeans including a constant speed electric timing motor for controllingthe time period of operation of the apparatus, coin actuated meansvariably controlling the operating period of the timing means inaccordance with the number of coins successively employed, and a mainswitch operatively connected with the timing means for simultaneouslycontrolling operation of the compressor and timing motors, said coinactuated means being operable by successively inserted coins withoutinterruption of the operation of either of said motors when said mainswitch is closed.

5. In electrical refrigerating apparatus, an electrical energy supplycircuit, timing means automatically actuated by insertion of a coin andincluding a constant speed electric motor energized from said circuitfor variably controlling the time period of operation of the apparatusin accordance with the number of coins successively inserted, acompressor motor energized from said circuit, a main switch associatedwith the timing means for controlling simultaneously the electricalenergy supply to the compressor and timing motors, said timing meanscomprising means continuously driven by said timing motor withoutinterruption during insertion of coins when said main switch is closed,and a separate switch for automatically controlling in response torefrigeration requirements operation of the compressor motorindependently of the timing means.

JACK K. BUTLER.

